Diego Forlán has been appointed head coach of the Uruguay national team on an interim basis and has also taken over as the permanent coach of the Under-20 squad.
The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) posted a video on its social media accounts on Thursday confirming the agreement with the legendary former striker. The video featured highlights of Forlán’s national team career alongside the phrase, “Do you know how fast I’d go?”, in response to whether he would be willing to coach La Celeste.
Marcelo Bielsa stepped down as Uruguay’s manager following a disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign marred by tension with his players. Uruguay drew with Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia before losing to Spain, suffering an early elimination in the group stage. Bielsa departed upon the expiration of his contract.
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Forlán assumes control of the senior team until at least March 2027, when the AUF holds its presidential elections. During this period, he will oversee Uruguay for six FIFA international friendly matches while the federation selects a permanent head coach.
Additionally, Forlán takes the reins of the U20 squad ahead of the 2027 South American Championship next summer, where his side will look to secure qualification for the U20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
This will be Forlán’s third managerial stint at the professional level following previous spells with Uruguayan teams Peñarol in 2020 and Atenas de San Carlos in 2021.
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The 47-year-old scored 36 goals in 112 appearances for Uruguay and won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s top player at the 2010 World Cup, where he led La Celeste to the semifinals.
Forlán made his professional debut with his boyhood club, Peñarol, before moving abroad to represent Independiente, Manchester United, Villarreal, and Atlético Madrid.
